Me: Ok. So whatever has the opposite effect then.
I slide the phone into my back pocket as a truck comes up the drive. Callie and Olivia arrive together with the kids, followed closely by Mama and Pops. After that, it’s a steady stream of guests until anyone and everyone who means something to our family is standing just outside the sanctuary gates.
Half of Oak Ridge is here, including Rosie and Archie, and our good friend Ivy and her husband Luca, who live on their own parcel of land near the waterfall. Catherine Mitchell arrives with her Dad, Phil, who worked on the ranch for years until his son, Ryan, passed. Callie’s sister, Clio, is here with her daughter Lexi, and she’s standing a few feet ahead of Noah, the owner of Lunar Ink.
An ecstatic Emmy rushes over to Caroline and Shawn as soon as they arrive, and Wilder asks them to join him near the gates.
The last to arrive is my stunning wife and our little girl, wearing matching jean jackets and cowboy boots. My heart gives an involuntary squeeze at the sight before me, overwhelmed by all of the support for this dream I’ve been holding onto for my entire adult life.
Angie and Jessie stand front and center next to Mama and Pops, while Jaxon takes his place beside the gate, ready to pull on the rope that’ll unveil the sign.
I center myself in front of the crowd and clear my throat. I didn’t want to do anything pretentious like hold a microphone. My voice carries well enough on its own.
“First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for being here today. This sanctuary has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, my mother, the amazing Evelyn Hayes, taught me that horses have an innate capacity to facilitate emotional and mental healing in humans. They’re also incredibly vulnerable and need to be nurtured and protected. This sanctuary combines both aspects in one. So, without further ado, I’d like to welcome you to Angel Ridge Sanctuary.”
Jaxon tugs on the rope, unveiling the massive sign above the gate. It’s carved into a large wood plank sourced from the old barn we demolished to build this place. There are sunflowers around the edge, just like the ones planted furtherback on the land—but I haven’t taken Angie out there to see them yet. That part is just for us.
Jaxon pats my shoulder and takes his place in the crowd beside Callie. An overwhelming flood of emotions takes hold, and I swipe at my eyes.
I beckon Angie forward and press a kiss to her tear-stained cheek, then to Jessie’s. With them at my side, I find the wherewithal to continue.
“There’s one more thing. Caroline, Shawn. Your daughter, Jessica Louise Hayes, left an indelible mark on the Hayes family that cannot be overstated. She gave us Emmy Lou, and she gavemeAngelina and Jessie. Now I dedicate this sanctuary to her memory.”
I unveil the plaque centered on a park bench in the middle of a memorial garden beside the gate. “Without Jess, none of us would be here today.”
Angie glances up at me, chin quivering. “I’m so fucking mad at you,” she whispers. “You could’ve warned me. You know I hate surprises.”
“But you love me.”
“If you say it balances out, I’m gonna kill you.”
I don’t say a word; instead, I pull her to me for a soft kiss.
“Come on in! There are pony rides in the equestrian center, Lick The Spoon is set up outside the stables, and you’re welcome to walk around the trail to watch the horses, or visit the pond to feed the ducks. If you see a fluffy cow wandering around, find Wilder.”
Hand in hand, Angie and I approach Caroline and Shawn sitting on the bench.
“Thank you,” Caroline says, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “You didn’t have to do any of this.”
I give her hand a light squeeze. “She deserves this and so much more for all the light she brought into our lives.”
I take my daughter from Angie’s arms and place her onCaroline’s lap. Angie curls into my side and rests her hand over my heart. “Would you mind watching Jessie for a little while? I need to show Angie something.”
“We’d love to,” Shawn says as Jessie holds his finger in her tiny fist.
“We’ll be back shortly. Feel free to wander around.”
Angelina
Griffin threads our fingers together and leads me back behind the stables, to a long path I hadn’t noticed before.
“This isn’t ominous at all,” I tease him as he leads me further down the winding road.
His deep chuckle reverberates through the open air, but he doesn’t say anything. A short while later, a flash of yellow catches my eye. It grows larger the closer we get until I can make out the shape of sunflowers in the distance. There are hundreds of sunflowers in a field near a small cottage.
My vision turns hazy as she nears the field. “Griffin. What is this?”
“This is our hideaway,” he replies. “It was here when we bought the land, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it. When your parents visit, they can either stay at the house with us or have the whole cottage to themselves.”
